Elks Family Helps Bring Backpack Pals Weekend Meals to Central Carolina Academy
Guest Blogger: Neil “Bob” Reichel, Inner Guard – Sanford Elks Lodge #1679
Sometimes, one act of kindness can lead to something much bigger. For one Sanford Elks family, a birthday service project became the beginning of an effort to help ensure local students have food to eat over the weekend.
A Birthday Wish to Help Others
Last spring, Tanner Reichel, son of Sanford Elks Inner Guard Bob Reichel, chose to use his birthday as an opportunity to serve others.
Working with a local food pantry, Tanner collected donations and assembled birthday kits for families in need. Each kit included cake mix, frosting, plates, decorations, candles, and card games, helping ensure that children could still enjoy a special birthday celebration regardless of their family's financial circumstances.
After seeing the impact of that project, Tanner began looking for another way to make a difference.
Bringing Backpack Pals to Central Carolina Academy
Tanner remembered a program in Minnesota called Power Packs, which provided food to students on Fridays so they would have meals available over the weekend.
He began searching for a similar program locally and discovered that Sanford Christians United Outreach Center (CUOC) was already helping students through its Backpack Pals program.
However, Central Carolina Academy (CCA) did not yet have the program in place.
Determined to change that, Tanner began working to bring Backpack Pals to his school. Wendy Carlyle agreed to serve as his advisor and help coordinate the effort at CCA.
The Elks Connection: More Than $40,000 in Support
Around the same time, I joined Sanford Elks Lodge #1679 and learned that our Lodge was already helping fund Backpack Pals through its ongoing support of CUOC.
I also discovered that Lodge Secretary Steve Johnson had helped lead grant efforts that have enabled the Elks to donate more than $40,000 to CUOC over the years.
During a summer grant distribution visit with the Elks, Tanner had the opportunity to meet several of the people he had been communicating with and tour the CUOC facility.
We saw the food packing areas, the fresh herb growing space, and food deliveries from larger distribution centers.
That visit also opened the door to additional opportunities for Central Carolina Academy students and Elks members to serve through the outreach center.
An Elks Family Steps Up for SUN Meals
Through Leading Knight Kym Smith and her contacts at CUOC, Amy Reichel began volunteering with the North Carolina SUN Meals program at the Broadway distribution site.
She was soon joined by her husband, Bob, and their son, Tanner.
Tanner, now a senior at Central Carolina Academy, spent several summer mornings helping distribute meals to children in rural communities.
466 6,524
Boxes Distributed Meals Provided
North Carolina SUN Meals Program – Broadway Distribution Site, Summer 2026
Brian and Wendy Carlyle also represented the Elks in supporting this important effort.
Looking Ahead: Elks to Operate a SUN Meals Site Next Summer
The SUN Meals program is expected to expand next year, with Sanford Elks Lodge #1679 hoping to start a distribution site of its own.
Members interested in volunteering can contact any Elks Board member to be added to the volunteer list for summer 2027.
Additional volunteer opportunities and details will be shared through Lodge communication channels as the program approaches.
Mission Accomplished: Backpack Pals Arrives at CCA
Thanks to Wendy's guidance, Tanner's persistence, and the cooperation of CUOC and Central Carolina Academy, Backpack Pals is now up and running at CCA!
Students who previously did not have access to the program can now receive weekend meal support through their school.
This is an important step toward helping ensure that local students have the nutrition they need, even when school is not in session.
A Reminder of What Community Service Can Accomplish
Looking back, this effort reminds us that community connections often come together in ways we do not expect.
A birthday service project, a school need, CUOC's ongoing outreach, and the Elks' commitment to helping others all came together around one common goal: helping local children who need it most.
What began with one young man's desire to make a difference has grown into a lasting opportunity to serve his school and community.
And that is what Elkdom is all about — Elks Care, Elks Share.
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